Dundee Cake
Dundee Cake is a classic Scottish fruit cake loaded with currants, raisins, glacé cherries and mixed candied peel, topped with crunchy blanched almonds. The Thermomix TM7 creams the butter and sugar evenly and mixes the rich fruit batter in one bowl. A festive dessert with a moist crumb and delicate lemon aroma, ideal for Christmas or afternoon tea.
About this recipe
Dundee Cake with the Thermomix TM7 brings a treasured Scottish classic straight into your all-in-one kitchen machine. This festive fruit cake recipe combines currants, raisins, glacé cherries and mixed candied peel with butter, eggs and fresh lemon, finished with the signature crown of blanched almonds. Fruit cakes have a reputation for demanding effort: creaming butter until pale, folding heavy fruit without sinking, and grating lemon zest by hand. The Thermomix TM7 removes all that labour. The integrated scale weighs flour and sugar straight into the mixing bowl, while precise mixing transforms unsalted butter and light sugar into a pale, airy base in minutes. The grated lemon zest distributes evenly, so every slice carries the same citrus fragrance. Baked slowly, the cake develops its characteristic dense yet tender crumb and golden crust. Serve thin wedges with a cup of tea at Christmas, wrap a whole cake as a handmade gift, or bake it ahead for celebrations, as the flavour deepens beautifully after a few days in an airtight tin.
Preparation tips
- Soak the currants and raisins in a splash of whisky or orange juice the night before baking; the plumped fruit stays juicy throughout the Dundee Cake and sinks far less in the batter.
- Arrange the blanched almonds in neat concentric circles on the batter before baking, starting from the outer edge, so the classic Dundee crown stays decorative after rising; press them in lightly.
- Wrap the cooled cake in baking parchment and foil, then store in an airtight tin; feeding it occasionally with a teaspoon of whisky deepens the flavour, and a spoonful of marmalade brushed over the top gives a professional glossy finish.
Recipe variations
- Alcohol-free version: skip the whisky feeding and brush the cooled Dundee Cake with warm apricot jam instead, which gives the same glossy finish and keeps the fruit cake suitable for children and non-drinkers alike.
- Festive Christmas variation: add a pinch of mixed spice or cinnamon to the flour and swap half the currants for chopped dried cranberries and diced dried apricots for a colourful, seasonal twist on the classic Scottish cake.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Weighing precision - The integrated scale of the Thermomix weighs flour and light sugar straight into the bowl for consistent Dundee Cake batter. [Precision Control]
- Fine grating - The TM7 grates fresh lemon zest evenly through the butter mixture, releasing citrus oils without bitter pith. [Multi-Function]
- Even mixing - The Thermomix creams unsalted butter and sugar into a pale, airy base far faster than manual whisking. [Time Savings]
- Chopping control - The TM7 chops mixed candied peel uniformly, so the Dundee batter spreads fruit flavour in every slice. [Precision Control]
- Gentle heating - Controlled heating of the Thermomix melts butter precisely without spluttering, giving the cake a silky mixing start. [Precision Control]
Ingredients
- blanched almonds
- currants
- raisins
- mixed candied peel
- glacé cherries
- plain flour
- lemon
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- large eggs